The design of a networked cluster or cloud hardware infrastructure (e.g., a compute datacenter) that minimizes cost and satisfies performance requirements is becoming evermore complex given the trend toward centralized servers packed into dense configurations. A network designer has to consider a vast number of design choices including, but not limited to: the number of interfaces per switch, the size of the switches, and the type and length of network cabling (e.g., cables and connectors such as optical, copper, 1G, 10G, or 40G) interconnecting the network components. In addition, network designers also need to consider the physical space where the datacenter network is located, such as, a rack-based datacenter organized into rows of racks.
A portion of datacenter network costs can be attributed to the network cabling interconnecting the network components. For example, in large-scale Infiniband-based networked clusters, an individual cable can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the length and type. This is multiplied by the existence of potentially thousands of such cables deployed in a single cluster or cloud. Currently, the ad hoc methods used for cable planning and network capability often generate incorrect cable lengths and/or errors in connectivity/capacity. This has frequently resulted in massive re-cabling resulting in significant material and labor costs. The cumulative cost over thousands of installs can be substantial if these systems were improperly designed. Therefore, designing a datacenter network while reducing cabling and capacity costs is one of the key challenges faced by network designers today.